Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-22
A MIDNIGHT FUsiLLADE.
DIR. aud Mrs. GOrnbiOuer's Heroic
Struggle with five burglars.

No. 80 Central avenue, Jersey-City
Heights, is a neat but unpretentious
three story cottage.
1t is in quiet but very nice neigh
borhood, and its inviting and homelike
appearance and its general air Of qui-
etude would hardly have led one to
suppose, in looking at it yesterday af-
ternoon, that it had been the scene of
a bloody tragedy that very morning.
Closer inspection would have re-
vealed n series of dark red spots lead
ing from the stoop and trailing along
the walk for some distance from the
house.
Or. Theodore r. Homblower, stout
and muscuIar-appearing gentleman,
some forty.thrce years old, and pro-
minent druggist OF Jersey City, owns
the cottage in question. He is of the
cold jersey stock" OF that class OF
sturdy Jersey farmers who made it so
warm for the Hessians in the Reyolu-
tionary struggle. His wife Julia, some
three years younger than himself, has
shown spirit and pluck worthy of
rank in the annals of feminine heroism.
The Doctor and his wife were sleep
ing undisturbed on Monday night
when Mrs. Hornblower suddenly
awoke, and though it was pitch dark,
knew 10y intuition that some one was
prowling near her bedside. "Who's
there ?" she cried, and, jumping out of
bed, ran into a man who was trying 10
leave the room. i"Thieves - she cried
again, and seizing hold of the man
yelled Justify for assistance. The Doc
tor, mean while, awakened, groped bis
way in the dark to bureau where he
had q loaded pistol ready. "Shut up
or III shoot" shouted the burglar to
Mrs. Hornblowor.
"DowNED' TIE BURGLAR.
"You darent shoot" she heroically
responded, and seizing a chair felled
the burglar to the ground with blow
on the head. Bang went the burglars
pistol, the ball crashing through some
bottles that were on the bureau. From
the flash of the pistol DR.. IIornblower
could see the face of the burglar, and
instantly fired. Meanwhile the man
had arisen end struck Mrs. Hornblow.
or a violent blow, for the moment stag
gcring her. He then seized the top OF
u sewing-machine which he happened
TO stumble against and hurled it in the
direction Of DR.. HOrnblower. 1t struck
that gentleman on the leg. Mrs Horn
blower then followed up her attack
with the chair. Two shots rang out
simultaneously. "Pm shot " scream
ed the burglar. "By Cd, 30 am /"
was shouted by DR.. Hornblower.
Loud screams were heard mt this time
from an adjoining room, where q sister
OF Mrs. Hornblower and a servant were
trying vainly to force open the door,
which was held shut by two men,
whose voices could be heard telling
them to be quiet, and from the stairs
below came additional shouts Of "Kili
him ! Kill him !"
COMRADES TO THE RESCUE.
AT this time two men rushed into the
room, and, seiZing hold of their wound
ed comrade, bore him down the steps
leading to the hall below, and covering
their retreat 10y a storm of bullets from
two reyolvers, which fortunately, in fact
providentially, both DR.. Hornblower
and his wife were not in range OF.
There were five burglars in all, and
they were making off in different di-
rections when. in the dim light, they
were seen by several neighbors who had
been attracted to their windows by the
unusual noise. DR.. Eakin, of the
Simpson Methodist church, ran in his
bare feet from the parsonage. and was
just in time TO see shadowy and stag
gering form led by two men across the
lots toward Concord street. These
were also deserted by Mrs. Hornblower
from her back window. The other two
burglars fed down Central avenue and
right in the direction of Oakland-Ave-
nue. police-station, which, strange to
say, was but two blocks distant.
DR.. Hornblower had mean while
doDned his clothes and arrived in the
street in time to see the forms of his
late assaiIants vanishing in the dis
lance. He was struck in the neck by
the burglars second shot, but the bullet
simply grazed the flesh. II was fully
m hour and half after all this occurred
that Policeman Feeney hove in sight.
His beat, be it said, is very long one,
and he had passed the house bat a
few minutes before the shooting. II
was then approaching daylight, and
what ghastly sight presented itself
Blood was bespattered over the walls
and curtains OF the bedroom, bloody
trail led out into the street. and il was
followed, occurring at intervals for a
distance Of over half mile from the
house, where. at the "hundred steps"
near Concord street, il was lost.
DIR. Hornblower used q 32-calibre
pistol, and must have given the burglar
an ugly II not fatal wound.
THE BOOTY.
In the dining.room was found five
bundles OF swag, consisting OF silver
md platedware and ornaments. These
he burglars left, but succeeded in get
ing away with three dozen silver
spoons and pair Of diamond cuff-but-
Iops.
When seen by Herald reporter
yesterday DR.. Hornblower did not seem
much the worse for wear, except that
arge plaster on his neck showed where
The bullet struck.
"oh i ! had only had my'shot-
gun said he. He describes the man
who shot him as q stout man. wearing .
'lonch hat and spectaeies. |